Sun Lakes Jewish Congregation News and Happenings

Joyce Spartonos

The Sun Lakes Jewish Congregation (SLJC), ever on the lookout for new and exciting ways to keep us feeling unified, even if it is only virtually, came up with a great plan for our service last month. It was decided to hold an Oneg Shabbat via Zoom immediately following the service. What fun! A chance to catch up with one another, many of whom we hadn’t seen in months, and the best part was, we were all in our homes, comfy as could be. It’s definitely something to continue looking forward to until it’s safe once again to gather in person.

This month’s service will take place on Friday, Feb. 12, at 7 p.m. We’ll be celebrating the festival of Purim, a truly joyous holiday. The entire story is found in the biblical Book of Esther. It relates how Esther, possibly putting her own life in jeopardy, saved the Jewish people who were destined for death under the Persian rulers in the 5th century BCE.

Sun Lakes Jewish Congregation will also pay homage to the Four Chaplains. These four brave men—one Rabbi, one Priest, and two Protestant Ministers—all gave the ultimate sacrifice. They were aboard the USAT Dorchester when it was torpedoed by a German submarine during World War II. They removed their life jackets so that others might live, and joined hands in prayer as they perished, going down with the ship. It speaks volumes about love and devotion for your fellow man, your country, and your ideals. What a lesson we can learn from them!

As always, we invite you all to join us via YouTube on Feb. 12, at 7 p.m. You’ll find us under Sun Lakes Jewish Congregation. See you then.